What is cohousing?

Cohousing is an intentional community of private homes clustered around shared space. Each attached or single family home has traditional amenities, including a private kitchen. At Emerson Commons shared indoor spaces include a common house with a large kitchen and dining area, guest rooms, and recreational spaces. Shared outdoor space include parking, walkways, open green space, a pool, an orchard, gardens, and a creek. Neighbors also share resources like tools and lawnmowers.

Households have independent incomes and private lives, but neighbors collaboratively plan and manage community activities and shared spaces. Emerson Commons's legal structure is a Condo Association. Community activities feature regularly-scheduled shared meals, meetings, and workdays. Neighbors gather for parties, games, movies, and other events. Cohousing makes it easy to form clubs, organize child and elder care, and carpool.

Relationships

Neighbors commit to being part of a community for everyone’s mutual benefit.

Cohousing cultivates a culture of sharing and connection.

Design features and neighborhood size (26 homes) promote frequent interaction and close relationships.

Privacy and Community

Cohousing neighborhoods are designed for privacy as well as community.

Residents balance privacy and community by choosing their own level of engagement.

What do cohousers love about cohousing?

Hear from experienced cohousers, young and not-so-young, about their favorite aspects of the cohousing lifestyle.

This video was created by Mia Lazar (13) and Ava Lazar (11) for the 2015 National Cohousing Conference. It features Shadowlake Village Cohousing (Blacksburg, Virginia), which is the mentor community to Emerson Commons and very similar in size and composition. It also features people and cohousing neighborhoods in the Boulder, Colorado region.

Tell me about the property!

The property is located on the edge of the growth area in Crozet, Virginia. It is 6.1 acres and comes with its own turn-of-the-century farmhouse and large, heated pool. The farmhouse has been renovated for use as a Common House, and 26 homes of various sizes are planned. Below are some ﻿photos ﻿and here are some preliminary house plans.

Crozet, Virginia is a small community located near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Surrounded by natural beauty, it is home to three parks, four lakes and an extensive network of hiking trails. Emerson Commons is just one mile from downtown Crozet, where forthcoming plans include a new town center with shops and restaurants. Emerson Commons is in the Albemarle County school district with nearby, top-notch public schools.

A short drive away is Charlottesville, Virginia, home to Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia and the pedestrian Downtown Mall — with dozens of shops, restaurants and galleries. A haven for the arts, Charlottesville features several venues for national music acts, local theater, symphony, orchestra and an annual film festival. The area is also home to many wineries, breweries, museums and historic homes. Charlottesville has been voted the “Best Place to Live in America” by several publications, including Cities Ranked and Rated.

Emerson Commons Vision and Values

Emerson Commons members crafted vision and values statements which are intended to inform policy development, governance, and the interaction of members with one another and guests.​​

Vision StatementEmerson Commons is a multigenerational neighborhood in central Virginia in which all residents may grow and flourish in an atmosphere of mutual respect and intentional civility. The community promotes respect for the personal privacy of members, cultivates the free association of members in collaborative projects and encourages the mutual assistance and associations that create community. The community welcomes individuals of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, gender, family and cultural backgrounds to participate in, and become members of Emerson Commons.